Express customs lanes open at Pearson Airport
Posted December 13, 2022 6:01 pm.
Last Updated December 13, 2022 6:12 pm.
A new customs system has opened at Pearson Airport, with the goal of speeding travelers through border lines this holiday season.
Canada Border Services Agency, partnered with the Greater Toronto Area Airport Authority, has opened express screening lanes.
To participate, passengers must fill out a customs and immigration declaration 72 hours before arriving to Canada.
The declaration is available through the ArriveCAN app’s Advance CBSA Declaration feature.
This option is also available when arriving to Montreal-Trudeau, Winnipeg Richardson, Halifax Stanfield and Vancouver International Airports.
Once you fill out the declaration and have landed at the airport, travellers over the age of 16 can use the express lanes. For those under 16 there is still a fast-track section at the airport.
The CBSA expects this process to shave down wait times.
“Individuals who use a kiosk or an e-gate without advanced declaration, it takes them over a minute and a half. At an e-gate advanced declaration, I’ve seen people go through as fast as 14 seconds, but the average right now is about 40 seconds,” says CBSA Superintendent Neil VandenBroek.
Though more than 50 million passengers have been screened so far this year at Pearson Airport, December is the busiest travel season, noted CBSA officer Tamara Lopez.
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In addition to using the app and express lanes, Lopez said holiday travellers can save time by keeping a few things in mind.
“Check our app or our website first of all for sure to see what border wait time it would be,” she said.
“Declare all the goods that you have. Anything over $60 in terms of gift would have to be declared to us under the Customs Act. It’s also probably beneficial for the person to have gifts unwrapped.”
Click here for instructions on how to use advance CBSA declaration.
